Title: From Left Field
Author: Skeren Dreamera
Notes: I got my first flame ever from dracosballsuture. Please go read the ever so rude comments about poor Sevvie. I mean, he may be an ass, but there was no call for that! Also! The idiot somehow was under the odd impression that Severitus equated to SeverusxHarry? And they gave me bad poetry too! Isn't it so sweet? I'm now officially popular:smirks and shows her sharp teeth: Don't worry kind readers, I only bite when I sense an insult. To they who asked me not to change Harry's eye color. I will apologize now! Mara456... You really seem to know what you're talking about... I thank all beings that I managed to get one over on you now... :pets the nice, extremely overzealous reviewer: I apologize, really really really apologize for how long this took... its been done since I did the last chapter... I just um... kept forgetting to type it... eh heh heh heh?

Slytherin: 50
Ravenclaw: 45
Hufflepuff: 5
Gryffindor: 5

Chapter two

Severus looked around, confused as to how he came to be standing in the middle of a lush garden. There was no denying that the area was familiar to him, being a place he'd been before, but he really had no idea how it was he came to be there.

As though he'd been waiting for the confusion to set in, a smooth male voice was heard from behind him. "Hello Severus."

The sight that met the dour man's eyes when he spun around was almost completely unexpected, and his eyes grew wide. "You? You're dead!"

A small, sad smile accompanied the sigh that fell from the other man's lips. The action only made the taller of the two take a step back. "I was rather afraid that might be the case." He gestured at Severus, making it unclear if he'd only been referring to his state of living.

Composing himself from the shock the specter of James Potter had caused him, he gestured about the 'garden'. "Why am I here?"

James' smile faded entirely from his face at that point, and his shoulders slumped. "Because Harry is badly hurt, and I am dead. That's why."

"And what does that mean Potter? Any who would have lent him energy would be where I am now?" A sharp glare accompanied the question.

"No, just you Severus." The dead man moved forward quickly, grabbing onto his shoulder securely as the other hand rose to brush over his forehead. "I've given you many of my memories for a certain space of time. That is part of why I made this place. You won't get them all at once, but expect them to come soon and consistently." A tiny, secretive smirk flitted across his face.

Severus felt odd over the contact, and he jerked back before it could be drawn out for too long. "Why me?"

James let his hands drop the smirk sliding away. "Lily was not, nor ever was, Harry's mother. She loved him like her own, but there was no blood relation between them."

"That is a lie. He has her eyes." Scoffing, the longhaired man shook his head.

"Spells. It was a series of very complicated spells that led to him looking like that. Unfortunately there was no way we were allowed to let anyone know how he'd truly been born. For all the was that we Wizards can do magic, that way is still considered a myth, and we didn't want to risk him being taken away." A helpless shrug accompanied the words.

"Explain! Why am I here?"

That only caused the man to laugh, as it seemed that the other man was missing some grand joke at his expense even now. "Because you, Severus, are Harry's father."

"What? No, that miscreant is not my child. I've no time for your joking." He glared, eyes narrowing as he waited for the real answer.

"You should never get drunk while playing with your potions you know. One such occasion... got rather out of hand you see, and we both drank something we really shouldn't have because you challenged me. All that resulted in Harry, who is, indeed my child."

Severus slowed to a halt, expression turning horrified as he realized the implications. "You mean to tell me that you and I...?" The look on his face drifted from horror to something that was between shock and disgust.

James put his hands on his hips, clearly affronted. "Yes, you and I. I think I got the bad end of things, so don't give me that face. Do you have any idea how horrifying it is to find yourself as a pregnant male?"

"That... is completely impossible."

"No, it isn't. Whatever else you are, you are brilliant." James stepped closer, the only area of color as the garden scene faded into blackness. "Just ask for a paternity test for him, and that will prove me true." Suddenly that smirk was back, and he planted a completely unasked for kiss on the Potions Master's lips. "Good bye Severus, it's been fun."

The specter disappeared, and it was only moments later that Severus found himself awake in the hospital wing.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

Harry was drifting in the dark, oddly aware of both everything and nothing at all. The moment the knife had come at him, he'd been aware he was in no condition to do anything to stop it. He'd only had a scant moment to appreciate the irony of the situation before darkness had come over him, and that was the last thing he remembered before this. Now all he knew was that he was safe, secure within this warm darkness.

He hadn't just calmly accepted his current position of course. He wasn't familiar with the calm lull of the place, and he'd set out in a search for light, as though trying to become aware of the harshness that was oddly missing. As soon as he'd tried, the soothing quality had gotten overwhelming, making him calm from his almost frantic reaction.

He wasn't sure how long after that it was, but something was finally appearing out of the dark, making him realize he hadn't been in darkness, but had been in a void instead. The fact that he could perfectly see the green-eyed woman was proof enough for that. Taking in her dark red hair and the small smile, he could only stare blankly for the longest time.

"Mom?"

She slid forward, taking his stunned form into a tight hug. "Yes, it's me, heart child."

Harry let out a shuddery breath, hugging her back tightly as he tried to erase the sounds of her death screams from his memory with her voice like this, so gentle, even though it was tinged with sadness. "How? How is this happening?"

Lily ran her fingers through his short hair, studying him intently. "You almost died today Harry."

He leaned into the contact, tilting his head so that he could meet her eyes. He was completely unaware that she wasn't seeing the greed he thought she was. "But... I've been near death before..."

A slightly pained look flitted over her face at hearing this, then she gave him a slight, tight smile. "Not since reaching sixteen you hadn't then. The spells I placed on you will start to deteriorate after this I'm afraid."

Harry gave her a distinctly confused look, shaking his head. "What spells? Surely someone would have noticed..."

Lily just shook her head. "I'm a better witch than that Harry. If I had a mirror, I could show you what you will see in a few months time."

Harry reluctantly pulled back, but he needed to see her properly, and he couldn't when hugging her so tightly. "I don't think I understand mom, explain?"

"That's just it Harry, my heart child. I'm not blood kin to you. I would be so proud to be your mother, you're such a lovely child, but you weren't born from me." Seeing his dumbstruck look, she ran her fingers over his cheek gently. "You're a little miracle. You didn't need a lady to be your mother, James did that. I was your godmother. I promised to keep you safe and care for you like my own, so I'm sure I was there right to the end... Otherwise I wouldn't be here. I would never have left you to this otherwise."

He shook his head, blinking rapidly at the blurring that interfering with his vision. "But, how?"

Lily drew him into a secure hug, closing her eyes as he pressed a kiss to his hair. "You daddy is a special man. He didn't mean for you to happen, and I expect that he might never have known. That didn't stop you from happening though. Please, don't cry, I don't want you to cry." As she pulled back, a tanned hand brushed at the tears that had escaped.

"I don't have anybody left! You were my mom. I never knew you. James was my dad. I didn't know him either! Sirius is dead! I don't have anyone! Not even the Dursleys stayed around!" He was almost shouting through his tears at that point, shaking his head a little as he took a few shallow breaths.

"Oh dear child..." The green eyed woman seemed genuinely stunned, and she drew him close a final time. "My dearest heart child. You aren't alone. Even with so much pain and loss, you aren't alone. Your father is still alive. If he wasn't touching you, then this wouldn't have been activated. Give him a chance. Even if you don't know him, please, give him a chance."

Closing his eyes against the tears and the hope, he gave her a shaky nod. "I'll try..." She let go.

Lily's voice remained, and he felt that he shouldn't open his eyes, knowing somehow that she wouldn't be there. "Good bye Harry. Remember we love you, all of us."

Harry strained to hear for a moment, but there was nothing else. She was well and truly gone.

After a span of time, he felt warmth. At first it was hard to pinpoint, but he realized it felt as though someone was holding his hand. The pain that he'd been sheltered from eased back into his awareness as well, but it was muted under the distraction that was being caused at his side. Turning his head, he cracked his eyes open cautiously, unsure if he wanted to know who was there.

Immediately his gaze, darkened just a hint from green to a shade of blue-green, met eyes that were disturbingly familiar. Dark, hard onyx. The only thing out of place was the strange look that he was wearing. That, and the question as to why he was holding his hand.

To be continued.

Question one: How does Severus react?
Question two: What does Poppy arrange?
Question three: What kind of person is the portrait on Severus' rooms?